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London tower block residents safeguarded by wireless system installation
04 October 2021
THE RESIDENTS of a London tower block awaiting the replacement of potentially dangerous cladding can sleep soundly following the installation of a Taurus wireless fire system provided by Hyfire.

The well-known landmark in Deptford, South East London had been subject to a 24/7 ‘Waking Watch’ since defective HPL and ACM cladding was identified in 2020. Now, while they await the eventual replacement of the offending materials, the residents are benefiting from the installation of a Taurus wireless detection and simultaneous evacuation system added in line with guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council. This is helping to protect the building and also saving over £15,000 each month in ‘Waking Watch’ provision.
Daren Pool, managing director of system installer Triple Star Fire & Security Ltd, commented: “The brief from the management company was to deliver an interim solution that could cover the communal and residential areas of the tower, allowing them to do away with ‘Waking Watch’, while also ensuring the safety of all residents. As it requires around 90% less cable runs than a standard wired system, the latest Taurus range from Hyfire was the obvious choice.”
Pool continued: “The wireless devices are not only easier to install in a residential building, given that they can be pre-programmed offsite, but they also limit contact with residents, which is of particular benefit in the current pandemic. Once the defective cladding has been removed, the system can be adapted in accordance with BS 5839-1 L5 requirements, with the devices inside each apartment used as part of a BS 8629-compliant evacuation management system if required.”
Compatibility with BS 5839 Part 1
Hyfire offers a breadth of commercial standard wireless fire devices ranging from optical, multi-criteria and heat detectors through to notification, alarm, interface and control units, all of them fully certified to EN54.
All products are fully compliant with BS 5839 Part 1. Fire panels are wired via a loop to translators, from which wireless devices can be used on their own to build fully wireless systems of virtually any size, or otherwise mixed with Hyfire wired products to provide seamless hybrid solutions, thereby offering total flexibility for specifiers and installers.
Ollie Murray, Hyfire’s regional sales manager for South East England, noted: “We worked closely with Daren and his team to specify a system with 425 Taurus wireless devices that could be installed rapidly, and with limited impact on the fabric of the building, ensuring safety and peace of mind for all residents of the tower. This is exactly the sort of scenario where wireless fire devices come into their own and, as the new system has allowed ‘Waking Watch’ to be removed, it will start paying for itself immediately.”
Murray went on to state: “The issue of cladding has been a major cause of stress for many residents. The excessive cost of ‘Waking Watch’ provision has only added to the apprehension. While the goal remains to have the building fully rectified, the wireless fire system from Hyfire offers enhanced protection in the short term as well as savings every month.”
Pathfinder Technology
Developed in Trieste, the Taurus solution features Pathfinder Technology, which allows the devices to communicate over 1 km, point-to-point in open air, and further where expansion hops are used. Antenna technology has been optimised to allow communication across different frequencies and environments. This means that Taurus can do the job with less equipment and less batteries, thereby saving on costs.
Hyfire was launched as Sterling Safety Systems back in 2007, bringing to market some of the first commercial wireless detection and alarm devices fully certified to EN54. Today’s Hyfire devices are supplied with a five-year warranty backed up by a dedicated partner programme designed to ensure the best survey, installation, commissioning and after-sales service as well as “exceptional” technical support.
*Further information is available online at www.hyfirewireless.com
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